BILL VAUGHAN’S TASTY CLIPS: Babyface, George Benson to sail on 10th Soul Train cruise

By Bill Vaughan

Entertainment Writer

Superstars Babyface and George Benson will embark for the first time ever on the Soul Train Cruise’s 10th anniversary voyage, joining some of the most beloved artists who have sailed on the annual cruise over the past decade.

The 2023 Soul Train Cruise will take place next Jan. 29 through Feb. 5, departing from Fort Lauderdale for Grand Turk, San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Half Moon Cay aboard the Holland America Line Nieuw Amsterdam.

“This will be the 10th year I’ve spent surrounded by the Soul Train family for an incredible week of the greatest music, artists and fans,” says Cruise Host Tony Cornelius, son of brand founder Don Cornelius. “I’m ready for 10 more. When we launched the first sailing back in 2013, we knew this was a special way to honor and carry on Soul Train’s legacy. I’m so grateful that the fans have come aboard to celebrate the hippest cruise at sea.”

Artists confirmed for the voyage include the Commodores, the Spinners, Peabo Bryson, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Midnight Star, Deniece Williams, Zapp Band, Al McKay Allstars, One Way featuring Al Hudson, Sounds of Blackness, Al “Lil Fats” Jackson, the Honey Cone, Purple Reign – the Prince Tribute Show, the Urban Guerilla Orchestra, Original Soul Train Dancers, comedians who will perform in the Soul Train Cruise Comedy Club and more.

Guests aboard the 2023 Soul Train Cruise will experience seven days of love, peace, soul and nonstop celebration on the high seas, spending their days and nights with the stars during more than 50 live performances and over 25 celebrity interactive events. This vacation of a lifetime includes parties at the pool, gospel events, live interviews with icons and legends, question-and-answer sessions, dance classes with the original Soul Train dancers, wine tasting, costume parties and so much more.

For more info, visit www.soultraincruise.com or call (844) 266-7685.

TASTY QUIP: “You can’t say, ‘watch my show, support me on social media, buy my music,’ and then say, ‘but don’t bother me any other time.’ You do want your privacy at certain times. I want the liberty to be my full self.” – ERICA CAMPBELL to Page Six

TRACKING: Diana Ross duetting with Tame Impala, and Brittany Howard covering Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star” with original bandmember Verdine White are but some of the gems coming on the soundtrack to “Minions: The Rise of Gru.” Thundercat, Tierra Whack, H.E.R., and the Minions themselves are also featured on the collection, due on the movie’s opening day of July 1 from Decca Records.

CLIPPETTES: Sir Paul McCartney’s Got Back Tour hits Sofi Stadium on May 13; as Christone “Kingfish” Ingram plays the Theatre at Ace Hotel and the Reverend John Amos & The Brotherhood fuel Blackbox at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica

An Amber Riley performance headlines May 14 activities at the L.A. County Fair; while the Full Circle Tour with Babyface, Kem and Sherri Shepherd lands at the Microsoft Theater, and Dennis Quaid is live at the Kavli Theatre

Toni Morrison’s novel “Sula” is being developed as a HBO limited series from writer/executive producer Shannon M. Houston (“Station Eleven,” “Lovecraft Country”) and Stephanie Allain’s Homegrown Pictures (“Hustle & Flow,” “Dear White People”)

Lyfe Jennings is live in concert on May 15 at Academy LA, as Kranium rocks The Roxy

CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” earned the most (18) 2022 Daytime Emmy nominations followed by ABC’s “General Hospital (17). The awards will be handed out June 24 on CBS

H.E.R.’s Back Of My Mind Tour arrives at the YouTube Theater on May 16; as Ozomatli and Tomorrow’s Bad Seeds perform at The Venice West

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson: Cosmic Collisions is set for May 19 at The Wiltern; while Alex Isley headlines at the El Rey Theatre

And the hits just keep coming for Oscar winner Ariana DuBose (“West Side Story”). The newly named host of Broadway’s Tony Awards will also become recurring guest star for season four of HBO’s “Westworld.”

TASTY QUIP: “Did I sleep with Madonna? We didn’t do any sleeping. That just happened. I don’t even know how it happened. I don’t believe she knows how it happened. She probably knows how it happened, but we didn’t do no sleeping. And then there was Janet Jackson. I had a big crush on Janet. What was it about Janet? Everything. Her little smile, body, her dance moves, her little laugh. We loved each other’s company. We didn’t have that long of a relationship. But the reason me and Janet broke off was because she couldn’t be with a man like myself. I’m from the projects. I’m hood. And her father wouldn’t allow her to be with someone like me.” – BOBBY BROWN from an upcoming episode of A&E’s “Biography”

TC ON TV: May 13 – “Catch The Fair One” (AMC+): A revenge thriller starring Spirit Award nominee and boxing champion Kali Reis that is currently 94% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. The film from director Josef Kubota Wladyka follows a Native American boxer who embarks on the fight of her life when she goes in search of her missing sister. It is produced by Oscar winner Mollye Asher (“Nomadland”) and executive produced by Darren Aronofsky (“The Wrestler”). “The Greatness Code” (Apple TV+): Russell Wilson and Lindsay Vonn are among the iconic athletes featured in the second season of this docu-series. “Sneakerella” (Disney+): A high-energy, music-driven movie set in the avant-garde street-sneaker subculture of New York City, putting a contemporary twist on the “Cinderella” fairy tale. With Lexi Underwood (“Little Fires Everywhere”) and John Salley. “Firestarter” (Peacock): The Stephen King horror tale remade with Sydney Lemmon, Zac Efron, Gloria Reuben, John Beasley and Michael Greyeyes. “Wendy Williams” (Fox): T-Boz & Chilli of TLCKelly Clarkson” (Syn): Bobby Brown and wife Alicia Etheredge-Brown

May 14 – “Nightcap with Carlos King” (OWN): A new series hosted by the renowned reality producer, CEO of Kingdom Reign Entertainment, and creator and executive producer of OWN’s first unscripted franchise, “Love & Marriage” preceding this with the debut of a D.C. edition. “Saturday Night Live” (NBC): Selena Gomez, Post Malone

May 15 – “2022 Billboard Music Awards” (NBC/Peacock): Sean “Diddy” Combs hosts live from Las Vegas with songs by Burna Boy, Latto, Maxwell, Megan Thee Stallion, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Silk Sonic, Ed Sheeran, Travis Scott (in his first televised performance since the Astroworld Festival tragedy) and more. “The Equalizer” (CBS): Eric Laneuville directs the season finale of the series which just got renewed for two additional years. The network also reupped its three “FBI” shows. “Vice” (SHO): “Freeing Brittney Griner” “Nomad with Carlton McCoy” (CNN): “Washington, D.C.”

May 16 – “Basketball Wives” (VH1): This season features veteran cast members Jackie Christie, Malaysia Pargo and Jennifer Williams and MVPs from seasons past Brandi Maxiell and British Williams with appearances by Shaunie O’Neal and others. “The Neighborhood” (CBS): Series star Cedric The Entertainer makes his directorial debut with this episode. “Lil Jon Wants To Do What?” (HGTV): “Upscale Jazz Lounge” “Unfaithful: Caught In The Act” (VH1): A new, six-episode series hosted by Tami Roman exploring infidelity through the point of view of the person that learns they aren’t the only one in their significant other’s lives.

May 17 – “Lionel Richie: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song” (PBS): Anthony Anderson hosts with performances by Gloria Estefan, Boyz II Men, Andra Day, Miguel, Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, and the honoree himself.

May 18 – “Kingdom Business” (BET+): The eight-episode series, from executive producers Devon Franklin, Holly Carter and Kirk Franklin, explores the gospel music industry through the multiple lenses of family, faith, love and redemption with a cast featuring Yolanda Adams, Serayah, Michael Beach, Michael Jai White and Tamar Braxton. “So You Think You Can Dance” (Fox): Stephen “tWitch” Boss returns to the show as a judge this season.

May 19 – “Rich & Shameless” (TNT): “Where Did NBA Star Brian Williams Go?” “Atlanta” (FX): Donald Glover directs the season finale “Tarrare.” “Yo Tarrare was a real person. Wild. They gotta stop biting these better shows tho.”

END QUOTE: “I’m a Christian but I’m really undeveloped. I don’t have high-level Christianity. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’m like a 2. That’s the level of Christianity I can work on. You slap T.D. Jakes, he’ll turn the other cheek. You slap me? If you sit back in your seat, Jada [Pinkett Smith] would have to move out of the way. That’s the type of Christian I am.” – STEVE HARVEY on Will Smith’s Oscars actions speaking at Georgia State University

 

As featured in the Los Angeles Wave and Independent, Tasty Clips is one of the leading entertainment columns in the nation, serving nearly one million weekly readers. Bill Vaughan may be reached at tastyclips@yahoo.com, via Twitter @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.